Anti-cd71 Monoclonal Antibodies and Uses Thereof for Treating Malignant Tumor Cells

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides novel anti-CD71 monoclonal antibodies, in particular mouse-human chimeric anti-CD71 monoclonal antibodies, advantageously associated to effector cells for triggering ADCC mechanisms. Anti-CD71 antibodies, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing them, are useful for inhibiting proliferation and/or killing malignant tumour cells, especially metastatic cutaneous and uveal melanoma cells.

The present invention provides novel anti-CD71 monoclonal antibodies, in particular mouse-human chimeric anti-CD71 monoclonal antibodies, advantageously associated to effector cells for triggering ADCC mechanisms. Anti-CD71 antibodies, as well as pharmaceutical compositions containing them, are useful for inhibiting proliferation and/or killing malignant tumour cells, especially metastatic cutaneous and uveal melanoma cells.

Monoclonal antibodies can influence tumour cell survival by several mechanisms, acting directly on the tumor target cells and/or by activation of effector mechanisms mediated by soluble factors or cells. Originally, antibody was of murine origin and, when administered to humans, induced strong immune responses to the foreign mouse immunoglobulin. This limited their use. Genetic engineering has enabled the development of so-called humanized antibodies with increased therapeutic efficacy.

Chimeric antibodies are 65-90% human nucleotides sequences and consist of the murine variable regions, which bring about antigen recognition, fused to the constant or effector part of a human antibody. Humanized antibodies are about 95% human, and are made by grafting only the hyper-variable region, or complementarity-determining regions, of the murine antibody—which determines antibody specificity—onto a human antibody backbone. The developments of genetically engineered transgenic mice and advances in the generation of synthetic human antibody libraries have enabled the production of fully human antibodies on a commercial scale. Chimeric, humanized, and fully human antibodies have less immunogenicity than early antibody constructs and allow repeated antibody administration, an improved capacity to recruit cytotoxic cells and complement, and an increased stability in the circulatory system. These improvements have contributed to the increased therapeutic efficiency of monoclonal antibodies. Small antibody fragments have also been engineered to improve antibody penetration into bulky avascular tumours, especially solid tumours. A single-chain fixed-variable (Fv) region consists of only one heavy-chain variable domain and one light-chain variable domain, which are covalently linked by a short peptide linker. These fragments can be used to deliver radioisotopes or drugs to tumour sites. Antibodies have also been designed that have two different antigen-binding arms and hence have dual-binding specificity. An example is when one arm binds to the tumour cell and the other binds to the effector cell. Another example is when the arms bind not only to two different antigens on the tumor cell, but also to the effector cell by their Fc fragment. These constructs increase antibody-mediated tumour-cell killing through the recruitment of host immune-effector cells (T cells, natural-killer cells, and macrophages). Many antigens that are recognized by monoclonal antibodies are expressed not only by malignant cells, but also by at least one subset of healthy adult cells. The best target antigen for a monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy would be one that is both stably and homogeneously expressed by all tumour cells, is not or hardly expressed by normal tissues, does not exist under a soluble form (to avoid rapid antibody clearance), and is easily accessible to the monoclonal antibody. Unlabelled antibodies cause tumor cells to die or to stop their proliferation through a combination of different mechanisms: 1) recruitment and activation of effector cells by antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), by complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC), 2) blocking of receptor-ligand interactions and prevention of growth factor activity, 3) induction of apoptosis, and 4) secretion of cytokines. Some antibodies do not induce cell death by themselves and instead are used to deliver radioisotopes, toxins, enzymes, or drugs to tumour sites. Specific targeting of cytotoxic agents to tumour cells has the potential to reach high concentrations at tumour sites, without the dose-limiting side-effects of systemic administration. In that context, antibodies that target antigens that are rapidly internalized offer another advantage. Radioimmunoconjugates selectively deliver radiation to tumor sites. In terms of radionuclides, one may use, for instance, I¹³¹ or Y⁹⁰, as well as new β (212 Pb, mixte βγ 177 Lu, 153 Sm, 186 Re, 67 Cu, 225 Ac . . . ) or α (213 Bi, 211 At . . . ) emitters, advantageously using improved chelation technologies such as MX-DTPA, CHX-A″ DPA, C-DOTA, PA-DOTA, DOTA-NCS (2-p-isothiocyanatobenzyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetracetic acid). The cytotoxicity depends on the pharmacokinetics of antibody isolation and retention of the radionuclide. Healthy tissues, especially bone marrow, are also irradiated because of strong emission energies. Alpha chains of plant and bacterial toxins (such as ricin, diphtheria toxin, or pseudomonas toxin) can be directly attached to monoclonal antibodies. After binding and internalization in the cell, these toxins disrupt protein synthesis at low concentrations. These toxins also commonly elicit strong immune responses in humans, which limits their repeated use. Drugs such as doxorubicin and calicheamicin can be directly attached to monoclonal antibodies. Antibody-mediated delivery with calicheamicin allows clinical use of this highly potent agent, which would otherwise be too toxic for systemic administration on its own. For reviews on these aspects, see M. Harris (2004), and Cancer Highlights (2004).

CD71 is a type II glycoprotein which exists as an homodimer of 180 kDa, linked by a disulfide bond in position Cys89. This glycoprotein is acylated at Cystein 62 and phosphorylated at Serine 24 by protein kinase C. It contains an internalization signal constituted by a tetrapeptide YTRF (amino acids 20-23) (Collawn et al, 1993). Upon cleavage between Arg 100 and Leu 101 by a yet unknown protease, CD71 becomes soluble. O-glycosilation at Thr 104 reduces the sensitivity of CD71 to cleavage. Mammalian and chicken transferrin receptors have an RGD sequence, suggesting a possible evolutionary relationship with adhesion molecules. In terms of sequence homology, there is an homology with the C5a streptococcal peptidase sequence and with the PSA sequence (Prostate Specific Antigen, which is not prostate-specific but which exhibits a type II acid dipeptidase activity). A ligand of CD71 is the transferrin, protein responsible for iron transport. Recently, it has been shown that CD71 is also a receptor for IgA (Haddad et al, 2003).

Ferrotransferrin binds to CD71 under neutral pH and is internalized in the endosomal compartment where the pH is about 5. Iron is released and carried in the cytoplasm by an unknown mechanism. The apotransferrin remains bound to CD71 at pH5 and returns to the cell surface where the pH is about 7.4. Under neutral pH conditions, the apotransferrin has no longer affinity for CD71, allowing thus another cycle to begin. This feature of CD71 permits to use this surface molecule for internalizing a drug, a toxin or a radioelement coupled to an antibody (Lee et al, 2000) (Li et al, 2002) (Ng et al, 2002) (Shinohara et al, 2000). CD71 binds in cis, via a non-covalent binding, to the ζ chain of the TCR, where it may be involved in signal transduction. Moreover, CD71 monomers are supposed to form a complex with integrin CD29/CD49d (VLA4) via a disulfide bond. CD71 plays an essential role in cell proliferation by controlling iron uptake which is essential in several metabolic pathways. This occurs via the binding and the endocytosis of transferrin. Expression of CD71 is post-transcriptionally regulated through RNA stability; it also depends on iron intracellular levels. The IRE-BP (iron-response element binding protein) exists under two different form, IRP-1 and IRP-2. IRP-1 is similar to the mitochondrial aconitase, whereas no aconitase activity has yet been described for IRP-2, which is however structurally homologous to aconitase. In case of iron deficiency, IRP-1 and IRP-2 stabilize the CD71 RNA by binding to specific sequences designated IREs (iron response elements located in the untranslated 3′ region of the RNA). When the level of iron is high, the IRE-BP affinity for IREs is low and the RNA is more sensitive to degradation. In addition, nitric oxide modifies CD71 expression by activating the binding of IRE-BP and by stabilizing the RNA. CD71 is almost undetectable on leucocytes and resting cells. This expression is up-regulated by cell activation and proliferation. For these reasons, CD71 appears to be a target of choice for treating a number of tumors. Nevertheless, in the red blood cell line, red blood cell precursors and reticulocytes express CD71. This is also deduced from mice lacking the CD71 transferrin receptor, which have a severe phenotype affecting both erythropoiesis and neurologic development (Levy et al., 1999). This was also shown in human in a case of an acquired iron-deficiency-anemia by Larrick J. W. and Hyman E. S., 1984. On the contrary, this showed that stem cells do not express CD71, confirming that an anti-CD71 antibody may be useful for anti-tumoral therapy (Zech et al, 2003). Besides, CD71 is expressed on the cerebral endothelium and this enables drugs to go through the blood-brain barrier, especially for treating gliomas (Lee et al, 2001). Finally, this last property, if deleterious under given circumstances, can be inhibited upon simultaneous administration of chloroquine.

Metastatic melanoma is a tumor with very poor prognosis, whose incidence is increasing due to modern life style and to prolonged, repeated and unprotected exposure to the sun. At least about 6000 new cases are reported per year in France, with an incidence of 9/100,000 inhabitants in Paris and its region. One third of these cases occur when the subject is less than 40 years old. The prognosis is closely related to the depth of the initial tumor and it results in death in about 100% of the cases of metastatic melanoma. Since more than 20 years, various therapies, either conventional or more innovative, have been tested, but they neither modified the prognosis nor changed the fatal outcome of metastatic melanoma. Despite a better general knowledge, including the identification of tumor antigens and auto-reactive CTL, immunotherapy remains unsuccessful. Immunotherapy has associated in various ways tumoral cell vaccination with tetramer-associated peptides, adjuvants, cytokines or dendritic cells, but has remain inoperative. This may be explained at least in part by a host immunodeficiency (Ugurel S, 2004). Monoclonal antibodies targeting antigens restricted to melanomas such as antigangliosides GD2, GD3, GM2, p97 melanotransferrin, p240 antigen of high molecular weight, have been used (Noronha E J, 1998). Clinical studies have shown that these antibodies can be administered with minimal toxicity. Nevertheless, to date, no antibody, even humanized, chimeric or human (Mills L, 2002), used alone or in combination with a toxin (Shinohara H, 2000), a chimiotherapy, a growth factor such as GM-CFS, IL2 interleukin (Soiffer R J, 1997), TNF or interferon, has proven to be really successful.

More specifically, choroidal and cutaneous melanoma both came from neural crest. Very few people are affected by choroidal metastasis melanoma. These melanomas differ from each other in two points: dissemination mode and the affected organs by metastasis. Thus, choroidal metastasis melanoma dissemination is exclusively by haematogenous way. In more than 90% cases, the first metastasis site (often unique) is hepatic. Few patients will develop other tumoral localisations and a majority of them will die in the nest 6 months after wide hepatic metastasis diagnosis. Cutaneous melanoma presents an evolutionary mode extremely variable and unpredictable because of dissemination is both haematogenous and lymphatic. There is a more specific tropism for the brain although the other organs can be touched. Diagnostic of these two melanomas is mostly made at a localized stage. The associated treatment is then local: it consists of a surgical act or a radiotherapy for the choroidal melanoma and surgical for the cutaneous melanoma. As mentioned above, it is important to stress that except the surgery and the radiotherapy, conventional therapeutics applied as part of adjuvant treatments or for metastasis disease are very limited in term of efficiency. Moreover, these treatments, requiring prolonged hospitalizations, are painful, heavy and mostly expensive. It thus seems necessary to develop, beside conventional treatments, innovative approaches such as the immunotherapy. The therapeutics, beside local treatments (surgery, chimio- and radiotherapy), are inexistent for choroidal metastasis melanoma and very limited for the cutaneous metastatic melanoma. Therefore, new approaches must be developed to increase the survival of patients affected by metastatic melanoma.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1. Kinetic of the inhibition of the melanoma cell line A375 proliferation induced by anti-CD71 mAb BA120g.

10⁵ cells from the A375 melanoma cell line were distributed into wells of a 96 flat bottom tissue culture plate at day 0 under 0.1 ml of RPMI 1640 containing antibiotics and 10% Fetal Calf Serum. 5 μg purified monoclonal antibodies to CD101>>BB27>>, or CD2>>O275>>, or CD71>>BA120g>> were added to triplicate wells at the initiation of the culture cells were pulsed with 1 mCl of ³H[Tdr] after 2, 3, or 4 days during the last 16 hrs of culture. ³H[Tdr] incorporation was measured using a liquid scintillation counter.

FIG. 2. Inhibitory effects of 25 μg/mL of anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody Ba120G on the proliferation of tumour cell lines in vitro.

Cell lines used were the three melanoma cell lines A375, M74 and Dauv1, the erythroleukemic cell line K562, the T cell leukemic cell line Jurkat, the HTLV1+ cell line C8166 and the medulloblastoma cell line Dev. Cultures were performed in triplicates. Cells were grown in the presence of 5 μg of purified BA120g or control CD2 mAb during 4 days and then pulsed with 1 mCl ³H[TdR] during the last 16 hrs of culture. The % inhibition was calculated by making a ratio between the control level of incorporation with isotype matched irrelevant antibody to the level of incorporation with BA120g. Control cpm were 287 989 for A375, 44 740 for M74, 108 389 for Dauv1, 70 519 for K562, 10 655 for Jurkat, 74 292 for C8166 and 179 220 for Dev

FIG. 3. Effect of anti-CD71 mAb on A375 cell proliferation.

Purified mAbs to CD2<<O275>> or CD71>>BA120g>> and <<CY1G4>> or no antibody (Ab) were added at 25 μg/mL under 0.2 ml at the initiation of the culture. Cultures of 1000 cells were performed in triplicates. Cells were grown in the presence of 5 μg of purified BA120g or control CD2 mAb during 4 days and then pulsed with 1 mCi ³H[TdR] during the last 16 hrs of culture.

FIGS. 4 to 8. Nucleotide and amino acid sequences as follows:

FIG. 4: Amino acid sequence (SEQ ID No.1) and nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID No.3) of the variable region of the heavy chain of the mouse anti-CD71 antibody BA120g;

FIG. 5: Amino acid sequence (SEQ ID No.5) and nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID No.7) of the constant region of the heavy chain of human gamma 1 immunoglobulins;

FIGS. 6A and 6B: Amino acid sequences (SEQ ID No.2; SEQ ID No.11) and nucleotide sequences (SEQ ID No.4; SEQ ID No.12) of the variable region of the alternative light chains of the mouse anti-CD71 antibody BA120g;

FIG. 7: Amino acid sequence (SEQ ID No.6) and nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID No.8) of the constant region of the light chain of human Kappa immunoglobulins;

FIG. 8: Amino acid sequence (SEQ ID No.9) and nucleotide sequence (SEQ ID No.10) of the constant region of the heavy chain of human gamma 4 immunoglobulins (GENBANK n° BC025985).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In a first aspect, the present invention concerns an anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody, or a functional fragment thereof, which comprises at least one variable region comprising at least one heavy chain of SEQ ID No. 1 and at least one light chain, the sequence of which is chosen between SEQ ID No. 2 and SEQ ID No. 11.

The term “antibody” is intended to encompass antibodies, digestion fragments, specified portions and variants thereof, including antibody mimetic or comprising portions of antibodies that mimic the structure and/or function of an antibody or specified fragment or portion thereof, including single chain antibodies and fragments thereof. “Functional fragments” include antigen-binding fragments that bind to a CD71 receptor. For example, antibody fragments capable of binding to CD71 or portions thereof, including, but not limited to Fab (e.g., by papain digestion), Fab′ (e.g., by pepsin digestion and partial reduction) and F(ab′)₂ (e.g., by pepsin digestion), facb (e.g., by plasmin digestion), pFc′ (e.g., by pepsin or plasmin digestion), Fd (e.g., by pepsin digestion, partial reduction and reaggregation), Fv or scFv (e.g., by molecular biology techniques) fragments, are encompassed by the invention. Such fragments can be produced by enzymatic cleavage, synthetic or recombinant techniques, as known in the art and/or as described herein. Antibodies can also be produced in a variety of truncated forms using antibody genes in which one or more stop codons have been introduced upstream of the natural stop site. For example, a combination gene encoding a F(ab′)₂ heavy chain portion can be designed to include DNA sequences encoding the CH₁ domain and/or hinge region of the heavy chain. The various portions of antibodies can be joined together chemically by conventional techniques, or can be prepared as a contiguous protein using genetic engineering techniques. According to another embodiment, the anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody, or the functional fragment thereof, comprises at least one variable region comprising at least one heavy chain encoded by SEQ ID No. 3 and at least one light chain encoded by a sequence chosen between SEQ ID No. 4 and SEQ ID No. 12. The antibody is preferably produced by a hybridoma cell line designated BA120 and deposited at the Collection Nationale de Cultures de Microorganismes (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France) on Jun. 14, 2005, under number CNCM I-3449.

In a second aspect, the present invention relates to an anti-idiotype antibody, or a functional fragment thereof, which specifically binds at least one anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody as herein described.

Thus, in addition to monoclonal or chimeric anti-CD71 antibodies as described herein, the present invention is also directed to an anti-idiotypic (anti-Id) antibody specific for such antibodies of the invention. An anti-Id antibody is an antibody which recognizes unique determinants generally associated with the antigen-binding region of another antibody. The anti-Id can be prepared by immunizing an animal of the same species and genetic type (e.g. mouse strain) as the source of the Id antibody with the antibody or a CDR containing region thereof. The immunized animal will recognize and respond to the idiotypic determinants of the immunizing antibody and produce an anti-Id antibody. The anti-Id antibody may also be used as an “immunogen” to induce an immune response in yet another animal, producing a so-called anti-anti-Id antibody.

In a third aspect, the present invention is directed to a mouse-human chimeric anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody, or a functional fragment thereof, which comprises a variable region comprising at least one heavy chain of SEQ ID No. 1 and at least one light chain, the sequence of which is chosen between SEQ ID No. 2 and SEQ ID No. 11.

By “mouse-human chimeric antibody”, it is meant herein an antibody wherein the variable region is murine-derived whereas the constant region is of human origin. A number of methods for producing such chimeric antibodies have yet been reported, thus forming part of the general knowledge of the skilled artisan. According to another embodiment, the mouse-human chimeric anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody, or the functional fragment thereof, comprises a variable region comprising at least one heavy chain encoded by SEQ ID No. 3 and at least one light chain encoded by a sequence chosen between SEQ ID No. 4 and SEQ ID No. 12. In yet another embodiment, the chimeric antibody, or the functional fragment thereof, further comprises a constant region comprising:

at least one heavy chain of a sequence selected from SEQ ID No. 5 and SEQ ID No. 9; and/or

at least one light chain of SEQ ID No. 6.

In yet another embodiment, the chimeric antibody, or the functional fragment thereof, further comprises a constant region comprising:

at least one heavy chain encoded by a sequence selected from SEQ ID No. 7 and SEQ ID No. 10; and/or

at least one light chain encoded by SEQ ID No. 8.

According to a fourth aspect, the present invention concerns a coupling product between an anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody as herein described, and a bioactive molecule.

Such a bioactive molecule may be selected from:

A) Metals:

-   -   Metals are selected from radio-isotopes and non-radioactive         metals, such as gadolinium useful for NMR. Preferably, metals         are radioactive isotopes such as:         -   gamma emitters (e.g., I¹³¹);         -   beta emitters (e.g., Y⁹⁰, Lu¹⁷⁷);         -   alpha emitters (e.g., Bi²¹², Bi²¹³, Ac²²⁵ At²¹¹).     -   The main radio-isotopes used for therapeutic or diagnostic         purposes are: Actinium 225, Actinium 227, Arsenic 72 (PET         imaging), Astatine 211, Bismuth 212 and 213, Bromine 75 (PET         imaging), Bromine 77, Cobalt 55 (PET imaging), Copper 61 (PET         imaging), Copper 64 (PET imaging and treatment), Copper 67 (PET         imaging), Iodine 123 (PET imaging), Iodine 131, Lutetium 177         (PET imaging and treatment), Osmium 194, Radon 223, Rhenium 186,         Ruthenium 105, Terbium 149, Thallium 228 and 229, Yttrium 90 and         91.     -   These isotopes may be directly linked to the antibody, or         indirectly through a chelating agent such as macrocycles, DTA,         DTPA.     -   In any case, coupling the antibody and the isotope, or coupling         the antibody and the chelating agent/isotope may be either         direct or indirect via a linker.

B) Toxins or Cell Poisons:

-   -   Various toxic molecules may be used such as diphtheria toxin (A         chain), Pseudomonas exotoxin, ricin (A chain), abrin, pokeweed         antiviral peptide (PAP), tricathecum, and functional fragments         thereof. Here also, the coupling may be either direct or via a         linker.

C) Drugs:

-   -   Suitable drugs are cytotoxic and/or cytolytic. Examples are         interferon, methotrexate, doxorubicin, daunorubicin, vinblastin,         mitomycin C, bleomycin, taxol, taxotere, navelbine, adriamycin,         and the like.     -   Drugs may be used either directly or via a linker.

D) Galenic Vectors:

-   -   This may be interesting for improving antibody transport,         half-life, cell penetration, therapeutic efficiency . . .     -   Various vectors may be used (liposomes, nanoparticles, polymers,         cationic emulsions, anionic emulsions, neutral emulsions,         dendritomas, and the like).     -   Advantageously, the galenic vector may carry another bioactive         molecule such as a radioisotope, a drug, a toxin, a nucleic         acid, especially an antisense RNA.     -   Again, the coupling may be direct or indirect, via a linker.

E) Biological Molecules Capable of Binding to a Given Cell Type:

-   -   Examples are antibodies, regardless or not of their recognition         specificity, bispecific antibodies, recombinant proteins.     -   The purpose is here to obtain at least bispecific molecules.

F) Enzymes:

-   -   Examples are RNAses.

G) Nucleic Acids:

-   -   Antibodies may be coupled, directly or not, to nucleic acids or         synthetic oligonucleotides, such as antisense RNAs.

H) Biotin-, Streptavidin-, or Avidin-Type Molecules:

-   -   Such molecules are interesting for improving the antibody         binding specificity.         More particularly, a coupling product according to the present         invention will incorporate a bioactive molecule selected from:

beta-, alpha- or gamma-emitting radioisotopes;

toxins or functional fragments thereof, such as toxic A chain ricin or abrin type molecules and A chain diphtheria toxin;

cytolytic drugs such as methotrexate, mitomycin, adriamycin;

galenic vectors such as liposomal vectors and cationic emulsions, advantageously including antisense RNA;

-   -   biological molecules capable of binding to a given cell type         such as antibodies or recombinant proteins, for obtaining         bispecific molecules;     -   RNAses;     -   antisense RNAs;     -   biotin, avidin or streptavidin.         In some embodiments, the coupling product comprises a linker,         preferably a C5 to C15 linker, so that the bioactive molecule is         released when the coupling product is contacted with, e.g.,         esterase prodrug.

According to a fifth aspect, the present invention is related to a pharmaceutical composition comprising:

at least one anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody as described herein, or at least one functional fragment thereof; or

at least one coupling product as defined above,

and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. In a preferred embodiment, the pharmaceutical composition of the invention further comprises human leukocyte effector cells that express or have the potential to express Fc receptors for antibody and that are capable of mediating antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) reaction against target cells. In this respect, said human leukocyte effector cells may advantageously be selected from lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, NK cells, granulocytes, eosinophils, and mast cells.

A sixth aspect of the present invention concerns a method for inhibiting proliferation and/or killing malignant tumour cells, comprising providing to a patient in need thereof at least one substance selected from:

anti-CD71 monoclonal antibodies as described above, or functional fragments thereof or constructions including such fragments;

coupling products as mentioned above; and

pharmaceutical compositions as defined above;

under conditions and in an amount sufficient for the binding of said substance to the malignant tumour cells, thereby causing inhibition of proliferation of and/or killing of the malignant tumour cells. The term “construction including a fragment of an antibody” means a product of a polynucleotide sequence coding for said fragment and a polypeptide with a stabilizing or transport function, such as albumin, ovalbumin or a fragment thereof. It can also mean a conjugate combining the antibody or antibody fragment with an adjuvant and/or a molecule or structure ensuring transport and/or stability of said antibody, such as liposomes, cationic vesicles or emulsions, or nano-particles. Yet, it can mean a combination of the product of a sequence as described above conjugated with an adjuvant and/or a molecule or structure ensuring transport and/or stabilization of the molecule. The therapeutic methods encompassed by the present invention involve primary tumors or cancers, but are advantageously useful for treating metastases. As an example, a method for inhibiting or killing malignant tumour cells comprises administering to a patient one or more of the substance described above, under conditions sufficient for the binding of the monoclonal antibody, or binding fragment, to malignant tumour cells in the patient. The binding of antibodies, or their binding fragments, to the tumour cells induces the inhibiting or killing of the cells by the patient's immune cells. Such antibody-mediated treatment or therapy may also be accompanied by other treatments that are directed to tumour or cancer cells, for example, radiation, chemotherapy, and the like, as well as by adjunctive therapies to enhance the immune system's attack on the opsonized cancer or tumour cells following the above-described treatment/therapy procedure(s). More particularly, when using a pharmaceutical composition as defined above as further comprising human leukocyte effector cells, said human leukocyte effector cells are autologous or allogeneic cells of said patient in need of inhibiting the proliferation of and/or killing malignant tumour cells. Practically, cells will be obtained from the patient or from a donor by cytapheresis and, in some cases, elutriation. They will be injected back fresh either after treatment with the substance, or after short term culture in the presence of cytokines (as IL2) or growth factor (GM-CSF and IL4), or after freezing (as in autotransfusion) In an embodiment, said malignant tumour cells are selected from cells of solid tumours. These cells are for instance cells of metastatic cutaneous melanoma, metastatic uveal melanoma, glioblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, hepatocarcinoma (HCC), ovarian adenocarcinoma, pancreas adenocarcinoma, non small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), breast adenocarcinoma, colorectal adenocarcinoma, hematological malignancies. Preferably, malignant tumour cells are cells of metastatic cutaneous melanoma or of metastatic uveal melanoma. Advantageously, the aforementioned method further comprises, prior to said providing, a step of depleting intracellular transferrin level and/or intracellular iron level in said malignant tumour cells. For instance, intracellular iron level may be depleted using deferoxamine or ferritin. Moreover, in the method of the invention, the substance as described above is further capable of enhancing the immune response in said patient by binding to regulatory T cells. Indeed, since CD71 is expressed by regulatory T cells, it is thus possible to block inhibition of the immune response by regulatory T cells upon binding of anti-CD71 monoclonal antibodies thereto.

Besides, the substance as referred to above may be used 1) to diagnose fetopathy by identifying fetal nucleated red blood cells and to sort the fetal red blood cells; 2) to determine the type of anemia in an anemic patient by looking at the transferrin receptor/ferritin ratio; 3) to identify micrometastases with proliferating cells and to sort them.

In addition, the substance may be used ex vivo to purge proliferating cells from peripheral blood CD34+ stem cells obtained after injection of GM-CSF for autologous graft. It may also be used to deplete activated cells from cord blood or from bone marrow. Yet it may be used instead of anti CD25 mAb to deplete activated/proliferating cells, since resting T reg cells do not express CD71 while they express CD25.

The foregoing substance may also be used in vivo 1) to treat ATL and HTLV1+ T cell leukemia; 2) to deliver a drug or another antibody (possibly combined in a bispecific mAb or in an avidin fusion protein) across the blood-brain barrier.

According to a seventh aspect, the present invention is directed to an isolated nucleic acid molecule, comprising one or more of the nucleotide sequences depicted in SEQ ID Nos. 3, 4, and 12. Said sequences encode the heavy and light chains of the variable region of a mouse anti-CD71 antibody, respectively.

An eighth aspect of the invention relates to an expression vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule as described above.

A ninth aspect concerns an host cell or an host organism comprising an expression vector of the invention.

In a tenth aspect, the present invention is related to a method for producing a chimeric antibody as described above, comprising:

a) transforming a suitable host cell with at least one expression vector of the invention; b) culturing said host cell under conditions favoring expression; and c) purifying assembled chimeric antibodies from the culture medium. According to another embodiment, the method for producing a chimeric antibody of the invention comprises: a) transforming a suitable host cell with at least one expression vector which comprises: (i) a nucleic acid molecule as described above; and (ii) one or more of the nucleotide sequences depicted in SEQ ID Nos. 7, 8, and 10, these sequences encoding heavy or light chains of the constant region of human gamma immunoglobulins; b) culturing said host cell under conditions favouring expression; and c) purifying assembled chimeric antibodies from the culture medium.

An eleventh aspect of the present invention relates to an isolated polynucleotide encoding an anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody as disclosed herein.

According to a twelfth aspect, the present invention concerns an ex vivo method for depleting CD71-positive cells in a patient in need thereof, comprising:

a) contacting a biological sample from said patient with at least one substance selected from:

anti-CD71 monoclonal antibodies of the invention, or functional fragments thereof or constructions including such fragments;

coupling products as disclosed herein; and

pharmaceutical compositions as described above;

wherein said biological sample is likely to contain CD71-positive cells; b) eliminating the complexes formed between said substance and the CD71-positive cells contained in said biological sample; and c) recovering a “purged” biological sample. Preferably, the method of the invention further comprises a step of returning said “purged” biological sample to said patient. In one embodiment, said biological sample is selected from a bone marrow sample, blood enriched in CD34+ cells, cord blood pluripotent stem cells, stem cells. In another embodiment, said patient has been transplanted or is in need of transplantation, e.g., with autologous or allogenic bone marrow. Alternatively, said patient has a cancer and, for instance, he/she needs autologous CD34+ stem cell transplant depleted in malignant proliferating cells after receiving high doses radio- or chimiotherapy. Yet alternatively, said patient may have a disorder selected from auto-immune and neuro-immune disorders.

According to a thirteenth aspect, the present invention relates to a method for enhancing the immune response in a patient having a cancer, comprising providing to said patient at least one-substance selected from:

anti-CD71 monoclonal antibodies as defined above or functional fragments thereof or constructions including such fragments;

coupling products as described above; and

pharmaceutical compositions as herein disclosed;

under conditions and in an amount sufficient for the binding of said substance to regulatory T cells, thereby blocking inhibition of said immune response by said regulatory T cells. In particular, such a substance, and especially anti-CD71 monoclonal antibodies, are useful as immunotherapy/vaccine adjuvants. In an embodiment, the patient has a melanoma, especially a cutaneous or an uveal melanoma, or an ovarian cancer or a liver cancer.

Other embodiments and advantages of the present invention are illustrated in the following non-limiting examples.

EXAMPLES I-1—Materials and Methods I-1—Production and Purification of mAb

MAbs were obtained by immunizing BALB/c mice or Biozzi high responder mice with human Thymic T cell clones (BA120g—also called BA120 and deposited at the CNCM on Jun. 14, 2005, under number CNCM I-3449-, CY1G4, BB27) or thymic cells (O275) as previously described (Boumsell L. et al, 1980). Cell fusions were carried out with NS1 as described (Gouttefangeas C. et al., 1992). Screening was performed in two stages. Following indirect immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry analysis all hybridoma supernatants reacting with the immunizing cells were retained. Further on, the supernatant reacting with a high intensity with activated cells and not with resting cells were kept. The culture containing the selected mAb was cloned twice by limiting dilutions. Ascites fluid was obtained from Balb/c mice or nude mice primed with pristane or incomplete freund adjuvant. The ascites was dialyzed against phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), purified on protein G column and sterilized by ultrafiltration and further utilized at the indicated concentration. BA120g, O275 and BB27 were of IgG1, CY1G4 of IgG2a and IVG42 of IgG2b isotype as determined with an ELISA isotyping kit. O275 was shown by immunoprecipitaiion and tissue distribution to recognize CD2, while BB27 recognizes CD101. These antibodies were selected as negative control as they are of the IgG1 isotypes, the CD2 and CD101 molecules are lacking on melanocytes cell lines, CD2 is expressed by NK cells and not monocytes, while CD101 is expressed by monocytes only.

I-2—Cells and Cell Lines

Human PMNC were prepared by Ficoll-Hipaque (F/H) density gradient centrifugation. Mononuclear cells were obtained after informed consent from healthy volunteers. Monocytes, NK cells or T cells were isolated using the appropriate stemcell rosette sep depletion system, as described by the manufacturer (Stem cell technologies, Grenoble, France). Cultures of human melanoma cell lines A375, M74 and Dauv1 and other cell lines were maintained in logarithmic growth in RPMI 1640 containing 10% FCS and antibiotics at 37° C. in a 5% CO₂ incubator. A375, M74 and Dauv1 were selected because they were previously shown to represent various level of sensitivity to apoptosis. Briefly, Dauv 1 and M74 are sensible to Fas only in the presence of IFN γ and resistant to TNF, anti-Fas, and Trail. In contrast, A 375 is sensible to all aforementionned signals except IFN γ alone. Adherent cell lines were harvested by standard trypsinization (0.5 mg/ml trypsin in 0.02 mM glucose/PBS). All cell cultures were checked for mycoplasma contamination. Other Cell lines in culture used were Dev (medulloblastoma), Jurkat (T cell leukemic line), C8166 (HTLV1+ cell line), and K562 (erythroleukemia).

I-3—Immunofluorescent Staining and Flow Cytometry

Indirect immunofluorescence was performed with purified mAbs using FITC-conjugated antimouse IgG provided in the Qifiquit (DakoCytomation, Trappes, France). Quantitative Flow cytometry analysis was performed with a single laser XL analyzer Epics (Coulter, Miami, Fla.) as previously described

I-4—Proliferation Assays

Cells were cultured for 4 days in the presence or absence of various concentrations of purified mAb in 96 well flat bottom tissue culture plates. Usually 5 μg purified mAb (25 μg/ml) were added per 0.2 ml well at the initiation of the culture. Cells were pulsed with 1 mCi of ³H[dTR] during the last 12-16 h of culture. ³H[TdR] incorporation was measured using a liquid scintillation counter (Topcount, Packard instrument, Meridien, Conn.).

I-5—Cross-Bloking Experiments and Biotynilated OKT9 Binding Analysis

A375 cells were incubated for 30 minutes with BA120g, CY1G4, Tf-Fe or NS1 ascites fluid at 4° C. or 37° C. before biotin-labeled anti-CD71 mAb OKT9 was added and incubated for another 20 min. Next, after one wash, streptavidin-fluorescein was added and cells were analysed by flow cytometry. Mean fluorescence intensity was recorded as set forth in Table 2 hereafter. Ba120G et Cy1G4: 15 μg (saturating conditions)

Control Ascites NS1: 2 μl OKT9-Blot: 1 μl II—Results II-1—Kinetics of the Anti-CD71 BA120g Induced Inhibition of A375 Melanoma Cell Line Proliferation

Previous reports have shown that only very few anti-CD71 mAb can inhibit cell proliferation. It was hypothetized that extensive receptor cross-linking was required for significant inhibition of tumour cell growth (Taetle et al., 1986, Lesley et al., 1985). This could explain why IgG anti-CD71 mAb, although inducing down-modulation and degradation of the transferrin receptor were ineffective in inhibiting cell growth. Using 10³ (or 5×10³) A375 cells per well, ³H[Tdr] incorporation was maximal at day 4 (FIG. 1), and sharply decreased thereafter (not shown). There was no modification of the kinetic of the proliferation in the presence of 5 μg (25 μg/ml) of anti-CD2“O275” or anti-CD101“BB27” mAb, both of the IgG1 isotype. In contrast, in the presence of anti-CD71 mAb BA120g of the IgG1 isotype, a plateau was observed from day 2 to day 4 (FIG. 1).

II-2—Anti-CD71 BA120g Inhibits all Cell Lines Proliferation

It was a goal to determine whether the BA120g-induced inhibition of cell proliferation was observed with other cell lines. Therefore, in addition to A375, the melanoma cell lines M74 and Dauv1, the T cell lines Jurkat and HTLV1+ cell line C8166, the erythroleukemic cell line K562, and the medulloblastoma cell line Dev were tested. In all cases, BA120g induced a high level of inhibition at day 4, as shown on FIG. 2, reaching over 70% inhibition in every case.

II-3—Only the Anti-CD71 mAb BA120g Inhibits A375 Melanoma Cell Line Proliferation

An inhibitory effect of the two other anti-CD71 mAbs on A375 proliferation was looked for. CY1G4 is of the IgG2a isotype, while 4G42 is an IgG2b. The three mAbs had previously been shown to be anti-CD71 mAbs by tissue distribution and by immunoprecipitation. As can be seen on FIG. 3, only BA120g inhibited A375 cell proliferation, while CY1G4 (shown on FIG. 3) and 4G42 (not shown) did not modify A375 proliferation.

II-4—Quantification of Anti CD71 Binding Sites on Melanoma Cell Lines

It was a goal to study whether the differences of the anti-CD71 mAbs in their ability to inhibit cell growth was related to differences in their respective binding to melanoma cells. Comparative analysis of the number of sites identified by BA120g and CY1G4 on the three melanoma cell lines A375, Dauv1 and M74, and on the medulloblastoma cell line DEV was performed. Therefore, standardized FITC coupled anti mouse immunoglobulin antibody and calibration beads (Qifikit) was used. Table 1 shows that the number of anti-CD71 binding sites was similar for the 2 mAbs and even slightly higher for CY1G4. In addition, Table 1 shows that the number of binding sites was higher for the 3 melanoma cell lines than for Dev, the medulloblastoma cell line whose proliferation was however inhibited by BA120g (shown in FIG. 2).

TABLE 1 Sites/cell (×10⁻³) Cell line Cy1G4 Ba120G A375 6.5 3.9 M74 8.5 6.9 Dauv1 7.1 6.1 Dev 3.2 2.2

II-5 Studies of BA120g Binding Sites

Whether BA120g was binding to the same epitope as a reference anti-CD71 antibody OKT9, known to bind to a different site on the transferrin receptor than its ligand ferritransferrin, was investigated. To do so, cross-blocking experiments were performed, in which the first incubation of the melanoma cells took place with either a control ascites, NS1, or the 2 anti-CD71 mAb, BA120g or CY1G4, or ferritransferrin. Next directly biotynilated OKT9 binding was analysed as described. The results shown in Table 2 below clearly indicated that, while CY1G4 was able to inhibit OKT9 binding, both BA120g and ferritransferrin were binding a different epitope on CD71. In other words, BA120g identifies a different epitope from both CY1G4 or OKT9 or from its ligand ferritransferrin.

TABLE 2 Experimental conditions Mean Fluorescence intensity NS1 + OKT9-Biot; 4° C. 6.53 Ba120G + OKT9-Biot; 4° C. 6.03 Cy1G4 + OKT9-Biot; 4° C. 2.44 Tf-Fe + OKT9-Biot; 4° C. 5.27 NS1 + OKT9-Biot; 37° C. 8.84 Ba120G + OKT9-Biot; 37° C. 11.4 Cy1G4 + OKT9-Biot; 37° C. 2.51 Tf-Fe + OKT9-Biot; 37° C. 15.3

II-6 BA120g Binding is not Blocked by the Ligand of CD71, Ferritransferrin, nor by Human AB Serum

Human serum contains both ferritransferrin and soluble transferrin receptors. Therefore, it was important to determine whether either ferritransferrin or human serum blocked the binding of BA120g to cells. As shown in Table 3 below, in the presence of 10% human AB sera, the binding of BA120g was increased, when compared to the binding in the presence of 10% fetal calf serum. Further, the addition of ferritransferrin, even to human AB sera, only slightly decreased the binding of BA120g. So, the number of BA120g binding sites on A375 melanoma cell line is not significantly modified in the presence of human AB sera or ferritransferrin.

TABLE 3 Anti-CD71 Mab Medium Tf-Fe Sites Specific* NS1 FCS no 3246 BA120g FCS no 21741 18495 NS1 AB no 5794 BA120g AB no 33976 28182 NS1 FCS yes 3313 BA120g FCS yes 18040 14727 NS1 AB yes 5794 BA120g AB yes 30618 24824

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1. An anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody, or a functional fragment thereof, comprising at least one heavy chain variable region comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 1 and at least one light chain variable region comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 2 and SEQ ID No.
 11. 2. An anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody, or a functional fragment thereof, comprising at least one heavy chain variable region encoded by a nucleic acid molecule comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No. 3 and at least one light chain variable region encoded by a nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID No. 4 and SEQ ID No.
 12. 3. An antibody according to claim 1, or a functional fragment thereof, which is produced by a hybridoma cell line designated BA 120 and deposited at the Collection Nationale de Cultures de Microorganismes (Institut Pasteur, Paris, France) on Jun. 14, 2005, under number CNCM I-3449.
 4. An anti-idiotype antibody, or a functional fragment thereof, which specifically binds the anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody according to any one of claims 1 to
 3. 5. A anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody of claim 1, wherein the antibody, or a functional fragment thereof, is a mouse-human chimeric antibody.
 6. (canceled)
 7. The anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody of claim 5, which further comprises a constant region comprising: at least one human constant region amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of a heavy chain amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 5, a heavy chain amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 9, and a light chain amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID No.
 6. 8. The anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody of claim 5, or a functional fragment thereof, which further comprises a constant region comprising: at least one human constant region amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of a heavy chain amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 7, a heavy chain amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 10; and a light chain amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID No.
 8. 9. The anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the antibody is coupled to a bioactive molecule selected from the group consisting of radioisotopes, metals, toxins, cytolytic drugs, cytotoxic drugs, galenic vectors, biological molecules capable of binding to a given cell type, enzymes, nucleic acids, biotin, avidin or streptavidin.
 10. The anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody according to claim 9, wherein said metals are selected from radioisotopes and non-radioactive metals.
 11. The anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody according to claim 9, wherein said toxins are selected from diphtheria toxin, Pseudomonas exotoxin, ricin, abrin, pokeweed antiviral peptide (PAP), tricathecum, and functional fragments thereof.
 12. (canceled)
 13. The anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody according to claim 9, wherein said bioactive molecule is selected from: beta-, alpha- or gamma-emitting radioisotopes; toxins or functional fragments thereof, such as toxic A chain ricin or abrin type molecules and A chain diphtheria toxin; cytolytic drugs such as methotrexate, mitomycin, adriamycin; galenic vectors such as liposomal vectors and cationic emulsions, advantageously including antisense RNA; biological molecules capable of binding to a given cell type such as antibodies or recombinant proteins, for obtaining bispecific molecules; RNAses; antisense RNAs; biotin, avidin or streptavidin.
 14. The anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody according to claim 9, wherein said bioactive molecule is carried by a galenic vector such as a liposomal vector or a cationic emulsion.
 15. The anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody according to claim 9, comprising a C5 to C15 linker so that said bioactive molecule is released when the coupling product is contacted with esterase prodrug.
 16. A pharmaceutical composition comprising at least one anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody according to claim 1 or 2, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier.
 17. (canceled)
 18. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 16, further comprising human leukocyte effector cells that express or have the potential to express Fc receptors for antibody and that are capable of mediating antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) reaction against target cells.
 19. The pharmaceutical composition according to claim 18, wherein said human leukocyte effector cells are selected from lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, NK cells, granulocytes, eosinophils, and mast cells.
 20. A method for inhibiting proliferation or killing malignant tumor cells, comprising providing to a patient in need thereof an anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody according to claim 1 or 2 under conditions and in an amount sufficient for the binding of said anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody to the malignant tumour cells, thereby causing inhibition of proliferation or killing of the malignant tumor cells.
 21. (canceled)
 22. The method according to claim 20, wherein said malignant tumor cells are selected from cells of metastatic cutaneous melanoma, metastatic uveal melanoma, glioblastoma, renal cell carcinoma, hepatocarcinoma (HCC), ovarian adenocarcinoma, pancreas adenocarcinoma, non small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), breast adenocarcinoma, colorectal adenocarcinoma, hematological malignancies.
 23. The method according to claim 20, further comprising, prior to said providing, a step of depleting intracellular transferring level and/or intracellular iron level in said malignant tumor cells.
 24. The method according to claim 20, wherein said anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody is further capable of enhancing the immune response in said patient by killing or inhibiting regulatory T cells.
 25. An isolated nucleic acid molecule, comprising one or more of the nucleotide sequences depicted in SEQ ID Nos. 3, 4, and
 12. 26. An expression vector comprising a nucleic acid molecule according to claim
 25. 27. A host cell or organism comprising an expression vector according to claim
 26. 28. A method for producing a chimeric antibody that binds CD71, comprising: a) transforming a suitable host cell with at least one expression vector according to claim 26; b) culturing said host cell under conditions favoring expression; and c) purifying assembled chimeric antibodies from the culture medium.
 29. A method for producing a chimeric antibody that binds CD71, comprising: a) transforming a suitable host cell with at least one expression vector which comprises: (i) a nucleic acid molecule according to claim 25; and (ii) one or more of the nucleotide sequences depicted in SEQ ID Nos. 7, 8, and 10; b) culturing said host cell under conditions favoring expression; and c) purifying assembled chimeric antibodies from the culture medium.
 30. An isolated polynucleotide encoding an anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody according to claim 1 or
 2. 31. An ex vivo method for depleting CD71-positive cells in a patient in need thereof, comprising: a) contacting a biological sample from said patient with an anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody antibodies according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said biological sample is likely to contain CD71-positive cells; b) eliminating the complexes formed between said anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody and the CD71-positive cells contained in said biological sample; and c) recovering said biological sample.
 32. The method according to claim 31, further comprising a step of returning said recovered biological sample to said patient.
 33. The method according to claim 31, wherein said biological sample is selected from a bone marrow sample, blood enriched in CD34+ cells, cord blood pluripotent stem cells, stem cells.
 34. The method according to claim 31, wherein said patient has been transplanted or is in need of a transplantation.
 35. The method according to claim 31, wherein said patient has a cancer.
 36. The method according to claim 31, wherein said patient has a disorder selected from auto-immune and neuro-immune disorders.
 37. A method for enhancing the immune response in a patient having a cancer, comprising providing to said patient an anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody antibodies according to claim 1 or 2, or under conditions and in an amount sufficient for the binding of said anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody to regulatory T cells, thereby blocking inhibition of said immune response by said regulatory T cells.
 38. The method according to claim 37, wherein said cancer is selected from melanomas, especially cutaneous and uveal melanomas, ovarian cancers and liver cancers. 